An editorial from the (Newport News) Daily Press
Update: In early January, Attorney General Jerry Kilgore ruled that caucuses must be open when discussing votes and, presumably, other public business, but not when purely party matters are on the agenda.
State government should be open, allowing the bright light of scrutiny and accountability to shine on it. That light cannot be shuttered in a representative democracy (a marvelous experiment in government, but one that comes with a caveat: “Elect people you trust, then keep an eye on them”).
It’s hard to keep an eye on what lawmakers are up to when they’re up to it behind closed doors.
The rationale for letting party members secrete themselves is that the caucus is where they conduct party business — plot their strategy, haul their laggards into line, dole out party plums.
It makes sense that this internal business be private. But caucuses also are, to a large extent, where the nuts and bolts of governing is ironed out during General Assembly sessions, especially when one party has such a majority it is, in effect, calling the shots.
Once members hatch a plan in caucus, they have the votes to drive it through the legislative apparatus in committees and on the chamber floors. So they may introduce legislation and call for votes out in the light, but the real decisions get made behind closed doors, in the caucus meetings that precede each day’s floor sessions.
In addition to new laws, some of that wheeling and dealing in caucus has to do with other issues that have tremendous relevance for Virginians, like judicial appointments.
…Making laws and appointing judges in secret is not right, and shouldn’t be acceptable to Virginians, Republican or Democrat or any breed in between.
…The Democratic Party of Virginia took the leap and opened its House caucus this (past) session.
Not that this means a great deal just now, since it doesn’t have the numbers or power to turn much of its plans into reality.
But it was still the right thing to do.
It’s time for the Republicans to step up, too.